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Since the magazine began ranking hospitals 18 years ago, Children's haseither been the first or second best pediatric hospital in the country. Thisyear, Children's is ranked second nationally and remains the number onepediatric hospital in New England.
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"The results of this survey are a testament to the incredible dedicationand work done by the caregivers, employees and volunteers here at Children's,"said James Mandell, MD, president and CEO of Children's Hospital Boston.
Children's clinicians and researchers are responsible for bringing some ofthe most important and exciting advances to research and medicine in theworld. Most recently, Children's researchers have discovered a potentialbiological cause for SIDS; produced laboratory-grown bladders that weresuccessfully implanted in seven children; and developed of the world's firstpatient-controlled health records.
New this year, the editors separated out the pediatric hospitals from therest of the hospital rankings and significantly changed the methodology.
Previously, U.S. News & World Report developed the rankings exclusivelybased on personal perceptions of quality from a random national survey of 180pediatricians. In response to criticism about the validity of the rankingprocess, the editors have added a quantitative survey to the reputationsurvey. There are now sections on: services offered; pediatric specialists;technology; trauma center status; nursing FTEs; patient volume; and surgicaloutcome mortality. As in many other consumer surveys on hospital care, thedata is self reported and the results are not case-mix adjusted, whichprevents a true head-to-head comparison among participants.
According to U.S. News, the purpose of the "America's Best Hospitals"issue is to assist consumers in identifying medical institutions known todemonstrate the highest level of expertise in diagnosing, treating, ormanaging difficult medical conditions.
"All of the publicly available data bases and our own comparisons findthat Children's consistently performs at world class levels," adds Mandell."We hear this from our patients and families every day, but it's gratifying tohear it from outside sources as well."
Children's Hospital Boston is home to the world's largest researchenterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries havebenefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 500 scientists,including eight members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of theInstitute of Medicine and 10 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institutecomprise Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital forchildren, Children's Hospital Boston today is a 347-bed comprehensive centerfor pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellencein patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of childrenand families. Children's also is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate ofHarvard Medical School. For more information about the hospital visit:http://www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.CONTACT: Bess Andrews Children's Hospital Boston 617-355-6420 [email protected]
SOURCE Children's Hospital Boston
